Flagstaff plans July 4 drone show from Coconino High with 300 drones; city details parking, safety and streaming

Flagstaff’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space division (PROS), working with Economic Vitality’s Discover Flagstaff, will stage a drone show on July 4 launching from the back ball field at Coconino High School, staff said at the Open Space Commission meeting. The city awarded a $95,000 contract for the show to OpenSky.

The event will use about 300 drones to produce a custom, roughly 23‑minute animation synchronized to music. “It’s a completely custom animation. We’ll have 300 drones. The show will go through just over 23 minutes, [with a] custom audio soundtrack,” said Hailey, parks and recreation staff, during the presentation. The show is scheduled to begin at 9:10 p.m., a start time the presenter said was chosen so the sky will be fully dark.

Why it matters: the show is meant to provide a large‑scale, city‑sanctioned July 4 display while reducing wildfire risk compared with traditional fireworks. City staff emphasized crowd, trail and traffic management steps to limit safety and access problems.

City and partner logistics and public guidance

DiscoverFlagstaff will host a public map listing recommended viewing points, parking options and access guidance, the presenter said. Designated…